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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24409438">keeping secrets can kill you, but revealing them can save you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Right_hand_boi/pseuds/Right_hand_boi'>Right_hand_boi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Transplant (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bash is real sneaky in the first episode, Mags is gr8, Officer Reid is not gr8, Theo is gr8, but what if he wasn't</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 06:54:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24409438</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Right_hand_boi/pseuds/Right_hand_boi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One sentence is enough to change everything. In which Bashir tells Mags that he has a sister. Told through the perspectives of Mags and Theo (mostly).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>keeping secrets can kill you, but revealing them can save you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Listen. I know you told the police officer you’ll get him after we’re finished, but what if instead of that, you don’t?” Mags’s patient asks her as she cleans his wound.</p>
<p>Mags pauses, red flags popping up in her head. “Why?” she asks suspiciously, returning her attention to the man’s wound. He hisses quietly in pain.</p>
<p>Her patient hesitates, weighing the pros and cons of telling her. He stares deep into Mags’s eyes, searching for something. He must find what he’s looking for because he opens his mouth to respond. “My sister.”</p>
<p>Once again, Mags pauses in her work. “You have a sister? Should we contact her?” she asks in alarm.</p>
<p>Her patient, Bashir, shakes his head in frustration. “She doesn’t have a phone. I was supposed to pick her up. She must be worried.”</p>
<p>Just then, a voice comes over the intercom. “Code Blue. Trauma One”</p>
<p>Mags sets her things down, rushing to the door. “You still need stiches,” she calls to Bashir. “Don’t move.” But she knows he won’t stay.</p>
<p>Sure enough, the bed is empty when she returns a few minutes later. She curses quietly, going back to the main hallway. She spots Theo and waves him over in a panic. He takes his time, well used to her freak outs. “My patient is missing!” she tells him.</p>
<p>“Whoa,” he says, raising his eyebrows. This is the most action he’s seen all day. “Mr. Hamed?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, and I don’t know what to do!” Mags wails.</p>
<p>Theo takes her by the arm, and they approach the information desk where Claire is typing on a computer. She doesn’t look up. “What’s up?”</p>
<p>“Mr. Hamed is missing,” Theo states, drawing Claire’s attention. She stops typing and looks up, concern written on her face.</p>
<p>She remembers him, the man whose job had been interrupted when a truck drove into the restaurant where he works. She remembers how he had put others before himself, desperately asking about the others as soon as he had woken up. An image pops in her head: the young man fighting her helping hands, removing his oxygen mask to try and communicate. But he had been coughing too hard to be understood.</p>
<p>She remembers how he would not stay still, how he had poked his head into the trauma bay, trying to explain that the woman’s heart had stopped in the restaurant. But nobody listened.</p>
<p>And now he’s missing. “Do you have any idea where he might have gone?” Claire asks brusquely, transitioning to professional in the blink of an eye. Theo shakes his head, but Mags’s eyes light up.</p>
<p>“He said he has a sister,” Mags explains. “He said he needed to pick her up. Maybe he went home?” Claire ponders this.</p>
<p>Theo, who has been silent the whole time, shakes his head. “He said he has to pick his sister up? He probably went there, not home.”</p>
<p>Mags’s face falls and she slumps. Turning to Claire she says, “Ok. Can you page me if anything involving him pops up?”</p>
<p>Claire gives her a motherly smile. “Oh course. What about you, Theo? You seem pretty invested in our young patient.”</p>
<p>“Sure. I haven’t had the chance to properly thank him for saving that kid,” he agrees. He shrugs and makes his way down the hall, missing how Mags’s jaw dropped at the information.</p>
<p>Claire exchanges a perplexed look with the young doctor. “Wait, <em>what?</em>” Mags cries, chasing after Theo. Claire winces. <em>Poor guy, </em>she muses. <em>Wouldn’t want to be him right now.</em> Even so, she can’t repress the fond smirk at Mags’s antics.</p>
<p>Mags finally catches up to Theo. She practically has to jog to keep up with his long strides. “Wait, Theo, <em>what? </em>” she huffs. “Slow down!” One of his steps equals three of her own.</p>
<p>He slows so Mags can keep up with him without running. She flashes him a playful glare. Before Theo can answer her question, Officer Reid swoops in like a predator finding the prey.</p>
<p>“Did you find the man who attacked your patient?” Officer Reid asks.</p>
<p>Theo bristles, bringing himself up to his full height. “Okay, first of all, Mr. Hamed didn’t <em>attack</em> the boy,” he counters. “He <em>saved</em> him.”</p>
<p>The police officer backs down at Theo’s steely gaze. He stalks away, grumbling under his breath.</p>
<p>Mags stares at her fellow doctor. Theo <em>never</em> gets angry. He hadn’t even been mad when Mags had broken his best dish at a potluck. But now he looks like someone kicked his dog. Tension rolls off him in waves and he takes deep breaths to calm himself.</p>
<p>A thought enters Mags’s head. “Theo! Theo, saved? Saved him how? Does he… do you know if he… does he have any medical training?” Questions fly from her mouth.</p>
<p>Theo’s jaw clenches. “The kid was aspirating vomit. He was choking, and Mr. Hamed cleared his airway,” he explains impatiently, daring Mags to disagree. He rakes a hand through his hair and walks away, leaving Mags standing there, mind going a mile a minute.</p>
<p>She returns to work, more confused than ever. Her pager beeps, bringing her out of her thoughts. Mags checks it and rushes to the information desk, where Claire waits for her. Moments later, Theo joins them.</p>
<p>“There was a call from the front desk asking about Mr. Hamed,” Claire says. “That could be his sister asking.”</p>
<p>“Thanks Claire!” Mags calls over her shoulder, already rushing away. Claire and Theo exchange a fond smile before Theo walks calmly to follow Mags.</p>
<p>Upon reaching the waiting room, Mags and Theo approach the receptionist. She looks up from typing on her computer. “There was a call about Dr. Hamed?” Theo asks her. “Is someone looking for him?”</p>
<p>The receptionist nods. “A young girl came asking for him. I told her to wait over there.” She points to an empty row of chairs and gapes. “I lost a kid!”</p>
<p>“Well, she’s definitely family,” Mags mutters. “Can’t stay still.” Theo lets out a cough that sounds suspiciously like a laugh.</p>
<p>Theo turns to the frantic receptionist. “We’ll look for her,” he assures her. “What does she look like?”</p>
<p>“Long, curly hair. Wearing a purple sweater, I think. She has an accent.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Mags says to her, eyes roaming the waiting room for a girl who fits that description. She’s pretty sure that the girl is Bashir’s sister.</p>
<p>A man approaches the desk. The receptionist sends a smile to the two doctors before turning her full attention to him.</p>
<p>Theo searches the room as well. “She’s not here. Maybe she’s back in triage? Is that his sister?”</p>
<p>Mags nods, and they walk back to where they came from together. At the information desk, Claire is talking on the phone. They wait for her to hang up. As she hangs up, Claire looks to them expectedly.</p>
<p>“Have you seen a young girl with long, curly hair and a purple sweater?” Mags questions.</p>
<p>Claire rubs her chin and leans back in her chair. A few moments pass before she responds. “You know what? I think I have.” She points down the hall. “I’m pretty sure she went that way.”</p>
<p>They thank her and rush off to where she pointed them, carefully inspecting each person they pass and peering into every room.</p>
<p>There’s no sign of the girl. Defeated, they return to the waiting room to inform the receptionist of their failure.</p>
<p>They don’t need to.</p>
<p>Bashir’s sister is seated in a plush chair, leg bouncing with her nerves. Her dark eyes flit around, taking in every detail, before briefly settling on the doctors. She deems them unimportant and continues scrutinizing the room. She’s much younger than Mags had expected.</p>
<p>Mags and Theo start to approach Bashir’s sister when she freezes, eyes wide. They follow her gaze to see Bashir, who had just entered. He spots the girl.</p>
<p>“Bashir!” his sister screams. She instantly on her feet, sprinting towards her brother.</p>
<p>“Amira!” he half sobs, running to her. If Theo hadn’t patched up Bashir’s injury after the boy’s father shoved him away, he would never guess that the zip-up sweater conceals a large injury. Bashir completely ignores his injury as he runs to his sister.</p>
<p>Bashir scoops Amira in his arms, hugging her tightly. Amira’s feet leave the floor. She reciprocates the hug. They cling to each other desperately, afraid to let go. From her location, Mags sees tears running down Amira’s face and landing on her brother’s shoulder. She is pretty confident that Bashir is crying as well.</p>
<p>Sniffling, Mags presses her face to Theo’s arm, her tears soaking through his clothes. He wraps the arm around her and pulls her into a hug, resting his head atop hers. The drip of water on the skin of her neck tells her that he’s crying too.</p>
<p>The doctors return their attention to the siblings. Now Bashir is crouched in front of Amira, cradling her face. The worry and fear is gone, replaced by relief and pure love. He’s a different man. He smiles up at his sister, handing her a package.</p>
<p>Amira stares at it curiously as she removes the paper. Her eyes widen, excitement glittering in their depths. “A phone?! You said I couldn’t have one!”</p>
<p>“Amira, you’re 12 years old today. Everyone gets gifts on their birthday, and so should you,” Bashir says firmly. He continues, “I know it’s hard. But we’re here now. We should make the most of it. That’s an idiom. It means-”</p>
<p>“I know what an idiom is,” Amira cuts in, giggling. Bashir’s face softens at her giggle, eyes lighting up.</p>
<p>He immediately goes from loving brother to stern brother. “When I call you on this, you better answer it, okay?”</p>
<p>Amira sniffles and smiles. “I will,” she says.</p>
<p>Bashir’s face lightens again, and he pulls her in for a hug. “Happy birthday,” he murmurs, kissing her forehead.</p>
<p>“Mr. Hamed.” Officer Reid says.</p>
<p>Before Mags can blink, Bashir is on his feet, pulling Amira to his side protectively. He watches the police officer warily.</p>
<p>Officer Reid watches Bashir carefully, eyebrows raising in surprise when he spots Amira clinging to her brother. “You need to come with me,” he orders.</p>
<p>Mags sends a desperate look to Theo. He understands. Quickly, he strides over, clapping Bashir on the shoulder, heart aching as Bashir pulls Amira away from him. “Mr. Hamed?” he says with a smile. “I’m Dr. Hunter. I just wanted to thank you for saving the little boy.”</p>
<p>Bashir watches him warily, eyes raking over his form. He relaxes a tad, loosening his arm around Amira. Bashir smiles a tad. “You’re welcome, sir.”</p>
<p>“Ah, just Theo is fine. Oh, hey, you still need stitches, right? There’s a room right over here that’s open.” Theo ushers him to an empty room, his sister still at his side and the officer close behind.</p>
<p>Once in the room, Officer Reid pulls out a pair of handcuffs. Bashir stiffens and Amira cries out, “What are you doing?”</p>
<p>Officer Reid’s face soften slightly. “I’m just making sure he doesn’t run away again,” he assures her. “He’s not under arrest.” <em>Yet</em> is what he doesn’t say, but Theo knows Amira picked up on that. She goes silent, face white.</p>
<p>Officer Reid cuffs Bashir to the bed, not noticing how Amira angles herself to see her brother. He doesn’t notice when Bashir meets her eyes calmly, trying to soothe her.</p>
<p>The peacekeeper turns to leave. Shuffling and jingling makes him turn back, ready to protect himself. Instead, he sees the young girl settling on the bed with Bashir petting her hair.</p>
<p>The young man searches the room before meeting Officer Reid’s eyes. “Could you get me that chair, please?” he asks politely. Officer Reid wordlessly complies.</p>
<p>“I’ll be back later,” he says. Then he leaves. Bashir and Amira instantly relax.</p>
<p>Theo pulls up another chair. “Amira, right? Nice to meet you. I’m Theo.” He holds out his hand. Amira sends a look to her brother, who is currently trying to X-ray Theo with his eyes alone. Bashir turns to his sister and nods. She hesitantly sits up and shakes Theo’s hand. He can’t deny the warmth that spreads through his chest knowing that Bashir trusts him, no matter how little.</p>
<p>Mags walks in. “Hi, Mr. Hamed, we’re going to get you stitched up now.” She turns to Amira. “Hi, I’m Mags,” she introduces herself, holding out her hand. The girl doesn’t shake it, instead looking to her brother. If she thought her patient was uneasy before, he is downright mistrustful now. He stares at her carefully. Mags can’t help but feel embarrassed that he can’t even trust her for a handshake.</p>
<p>Or maybe he can. “Bashir,” he corrects her, nodding to his sister. “This is Amira.” Amira squeezes her brother’s hand before timidly reaching up to shake Mags’s.</p>
<p>“Well, Bashir, we still need to get you stitched up,” Mags says, not batting an eye. Amira sways a little, looking ill. “Is it okay if Theo takes Amira out in the hall? She looks a little queasy.” Bashir stiffens at her request, hands clenching uselessly.</p>
<p>Amira jumps up, fear forgotten. “No! You can’t take him!” She grips Bashir’s arm and steps forward to shield him. “He didn’t do anything wrong. Please don’t take him! <em>We are not terrorists!</em>” She’s crying now, the day’s events finally catching up to her.</p>
<p>Mags meets Theo’s eyes, both of them devastated that life has made Amira jump to those conclusions. She notices Bashir watching her, seeing what she’s going to do. He nods reassuringly. Mags takes a deep breath then crouches down to Amira’s level.</p>
<p>“Amira. Amira, sweetie, we’re not going to take your brother,” she soothes. Amira clearly does not believe her. Pausing only a moment, Mags wraps her arms around the weeping child. Amira jumps, then relaxes ever-so-slightly.</p>
<p>Theo joins them after receiving a permissive nod from Bashir. He lays a hand on her shoulder. “Amira, I promise on my honour as a doctor that we will not take Bashir.” She sniffles, meeting his eyes.</p>
<p>“How do I know you’re not lying?” she cries. “Everybody lies to us!”</p>
<p>Mags’s mind races before an idea hits her. She unclips her identification badge and offers it to the confused girl. “I can’t go anywhere without this,” she says. “If your brother gets taken away, don’t give this back to me. I could lose my job if I try to do anything without this. I’m going to trust you with this card until we finish Bashir’s stitches, okay? Don’t give it back until you are back in here and your brother is all fixed up.”</p>
<p>Amira stares at her in shock. With trembling fingers, she takes Mags’s badge. “You promise?” she whispers, wiping her face.</p>
<p>Mags smiles softly, tucking a lock of hair behind Amira’s ear. “I <em>swear</em>.”</p>
<p>Amira turns to her brother. He smiles. “Don’t worry, <em>habibti</em>, I’m here to stay. Literally.” He shakes his cuffed arm, drawing a small smile from his sister.</p>
<p>Theo kneels in front of Amira, offering his hand. “Shall we?”</p>
<p>Amira takes his hand and he leads her to some chairs right outside Bashir’s room. “Where was Bashir supposed to pick you up?” Theo asks.</p>
<p>“I go to an ESL class most evenings,” Amira responds, yawning. “I took the bus today by myself.” Pride rings in her voice.</p>
<p>“Fist time?” Theo asks, smiling. He slings his arm over the back of Amira’s chair, a silent invitation.</p>
<p>“I <em>told</em> Bash I could figure it out,” she brags, inching closer. Five minutes later, she’s pressed up to Theo’s side.</p>
<p>Theo notices her yawn again. “Go to sleep, Amira. I’ll wake you up when Mags is done.” She blinks slowly, then lets her eyes flutter shut. Theo wraps his arm around her, a lump lodging in his throat when she snuggles closer.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, in the room, Mags is starting the stitches. Bashir tenses as she inserts the needle but forces himself to relax. Upon noticing the trembling under her hands, Mags stops and looks up in concern. Is she hurting him?</p>
<p>Bashir exhales a trembling breath. “Thank you. For before. With Amira.” He wipes his eyes and smiles at her. A tear escapes his eye, trailing down his temple and into his hair. “She has trouble making friends. That was the first hug that she’s gotten since we moved here that wasn’t from me.”</p>
<p>Mags resumes stitching. “She’s an incredible girl. She deserves some more hugs. I’m glad I could help her in any way.”</p>
<p>A comfortable silence falls as Mags finishes up and puts a bandage over Bashir’s stitches.</p>
<p>“All done. I can get your sister now, if you’d like.” At Bashir’s nod, Mags smiles softly and exits the room.</p>
<p>Her heart melts at the sight she’s greeted with. Amira is snuggled up to Theo’s side, fast asleep. His arm is around her, and he too is asleep. Mags pulls out her phone and takes a picture before returning to Bashir.</p>
<p>Before he can ask why Amira is not with her, Mags shows him her phone with a wide smile. His face softens.</p>
<p>“Could I email this to myself?” he begs.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Mags answers. Leaving her phone with Bashir, she heads out again to wake the slumbering pair. She rests a gentle hand on Amira’s cheek. The girl startles awake, eyes darting around wildly before settling on Mags. She relaxes and smiles up at the doctor.</p>
<p>A grunting snore catches their attention. Amira giggles, slapping a hand over her mouth.</p>
<p>“Watch this,” Mags tells her. Theo sleeps like a log, so waking him is always entertaining. Under the girl’s attentive eye, she shakes him gently. Nothing happens. “Wanna help?” Mags asks Amira.</p>
<p>Amira nods quickly and starts to gently shake the snoring doctor. Another rumbling snore that could actually wake the dead. It drowns out Amira’s gleeful laugh and Mags’s exasperated sigh. Mags rolls her eyes and vigorously shakes Theo. He doesn’t wake. Amira gently pats his cheek with one hand, the other still firmly over her mouth.</p>
<p>Mags gestures for Amira to remove her hand. Once she does, Mags pulls her hand back and slaps him lightly. He twitches. Mags rolls her eyes heavenward, asking for patience. Amira snorts.</p>
<p>“Theo. Wake. <em>Up.</em>” Mags snaps. Completely and utterly fed up with his <em>inability to</em> <em>be a human</em>, Mags whips out her flashlight, forces one of Theo’s eyelids open, and shines the bright light into his eye as if she’s checking the eyes of a patient.</p>
<p>Amira’s tinkling laughter rings out. She’s no longer bothering to stifle it. Mags shines the light in Theo’s other eye. He flails, eyes finally opening. He accidently knocks the flashlight out of Mags’s hand, and it falls to the floor, rolling under the row of chairs.</p>
<p>Theo stares at Mags sheepishly. “Hi.”</p>
<p>She glares at him, unimpressed. Mags points to the fallen flashlight. “Pick it up,” she orders, like a mother scolding her child.</p>
<p>“… Yes ma’am,” Theo says meekly. He shuffles around on his hands and knees before closing his fingers around the flashlight. He proudly presents it but shrinks under the force of Mags’s glare.</p>
<p>Amira belly-laughs, an ugly mixture of soundless guffaws and snorts. Mags joins, and then Theo. The two doctors offer their hands to Amira, and the trio walks back into Bashir’s room, hand-in-hand.</p>
<p>Bashir looks up at their entrance, a large smile on his face. He hops down from the bed and seats himself in a chair. He pats the bed as Amira yawns. As Amira crawls in the bed, he turns his appreciative eyes to the doctors.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” he murmurs, voice trembling.</p>
<p>“You’re very welcome,” Theo responds. Stepping closer, he strokes Amira’s cheek and places a hand on Bashir’s shoulder. With a final soft smile, he departs.</p>
<p>“I’ll check in with you later,” Mags says. She too strokes Amira’s face. The sleeping girl nuzzles into it. Mags removes her hand, but finds it grasped tightly.</p>
<p>Bashir stares at her, eyes shining. “Thank you,” he says again.</p>
<p>Mags’s eyes soften. “Of course, Bashir. I’ll see you later.” She squeezes his hand, then leaves.</p>
<p>Once in the hall, she pulls Theo in for a hug. He presses a kiss to her brow. This is probably their most memorable shift.</p>
<p>Well, their most memorable shift until they see Bashir two weeks later.</p>
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